Living vacariously through myself …

I am in a beautiful condo in Newport Beach, California, on the beach. My view is the pacific ocean. Surfers frolic in the waves in front of me while beach goers bask in the sun (it’s 82 degrees today). Two years ago, I would have embraced this moment with much more enthusiasm and marveled at my good fortune! Instead, I am somberly gazing out at the ocean (through a window), dreaming of the South Pacific, missing our boat (and our life on it) like crazy!

Seriously, what is wrong with me.. I guess you could say “I am hooked!” So, while I wait to return to the life I love, I will post some pictures and videos we took along the way (I wasn’t able to post them earlier because we didn’t have good wify)! I will live ‘vacariously’ through myself lol!

Craig is scheduled for a complete hip replacement next week. Meanwhile, I will try to adjust to the life here in Orange County that I used to be satisfied with. I will try to have a good attitude towards crowds, and traffic, and status minded people. But what I know now, is that none of this matters. It doesn’t impress me the way it used too. I fight tears thinking that it might be months before we are able to sail again (if at all). Dang, what does that say about priorities? Our marriage (and Craig’s health) is a top priority. If health changes our South Pacific sailing experience..well, so be it. I will adjust (I’ll have to). But it might ‘rock’ my belief that passions are meant to be used…

I believe God gives us passions for a purpose. Our ability to “act on our dreams” is really a step to act on God’s dream for us. He puts the desire in our hearts, to bless Him, and others, as well as ourselves. Traveling to different countries has taught me that life is not just about being affluent (getting and spending)…it’s about giving and living. Some of the happiest people I have met, have owned very little in material possessions. Being in the “right place at the right time” (like on a hurricane raveraged island in Tonga) allows you to bless others with encouragement, gifts or both. It also allows you to see that joy is in the eyes of the beholder. It has nothing to do with possessions.

So as I gaze at Orange County’s multimillion dollar homes, luxurious cars, ellegant restaurants and perfect physics, I am no longer impressed. I have changed. I have grown. I am thankful for that growth. I now know I would rather live a life of poverty on an island in the South Pacific than a life of material gluttony in Orange County! That’s an amazing transition (believe me!)

For those of you who are have “the dream of sailing” in your hearts. Stop ‘putting it off’ ! You will never “have enough, get enough, earn enough”! We met dozens of sailors along the way and not one said, “I was fully prepared when we left”. Most decided “enough is enough” and jumped! That’s why they call it, The Puddle Jump! It’s a jump, not a walk, not a step, not a waltz! We all jumped, meaning, “We all took a chance”! And most of us consider it to be the best ‘jump’ we ever made! My advice to those of you who have the dream in your heart, ” Jump! Buy that boat and go experience life in all it’s glory! At least you can say you did it!”

For those like me, who are back to land and want to be at sea. Well, we did it. We loved it. We hope to do it again but know in our hearts that we were lucky to do it the first time. That might have to be enough….